Systems and methods to convert a call generated from an advertisement

Abstract

Methods and systems for converting a call generated from an advertisement. One embodiment includes: establishing a real time communication connection between a first entity and a second entity via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the second entity; billing the second entity for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference; monitoring the communication connection between the first entity and the second entity to detect a pre-defined indication; and charging the first entity, on behalf of the second entity, for communications with the second entity over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the pre-defined indication.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 establishing, by a server system, a communication connection between caller and a callee based at least in part on a Voice over Internet Protocol connection and via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the callee; 
 processing identification information received by the server system to determine an attribute of the caller based at least in part on the identification information, the attribute of the caller based at least in part on an identity of the caller or an anonymity of the caller; 
 processing by the server system an indication of a previously stored preference associated with the callee pertaining to charging callers and/or not charging callers; 
 based at least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, determining by the server system whether to initiate an authentication process to authenticate the caller by determining whether a first condition exists or a second condition exists, where: 
 upon determining existence of the first condition based at least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, the server system initiates the authentication process to authenticate the caller; 
 upon determining existence of the second condition based least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, the server system does not charge the caller for a first period of time; 
 billing, by the server system, the callee for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference; 
 monitoring, by the server system, the communication connection between the caller and the callee to detect a first pre-defined indication provided by the caller; 
 charging, by the server system, the caller, on behalf of the callee, for communications with the callee over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the first pre-defined indication; 
 processing, by the server system, a second pre-defined indication from a user device of the callee during the communication connection, wherein the second pre-defined indication corresponds to a user input made via a user interface of the callee; and 
 stopping, by the server system, the charging of the caller for communication time over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the second pre-defined indication provided by the callee. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the caller is not charged a fee for the communication connection between the caller and the callee before the detected occurrence of the first pre-defined indication. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the establishing the communication connection comprises establishing the communication connection without the caller revealing the identity of the caller. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 authenticating the caller to continue the communication connection with the callee. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein after the detected occurrence of the first pre-defined indication, the caller is charged a fee based on a time duration starting from the detected occurrence of the first predefined indication. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein after the detected occurrence of the first pre-defined indication, the caller is charged a fee for a pre-determined amount of communication time with the callee. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication connection is at least one of text, voice, image, audio or video. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication connection comprises a telephone connection. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first pre-defined indication includes a signal generated according to pressing at least one key of a phone. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the signal includes a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signal. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the monitoring comprises detecting the signal from the caller. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 detecting signals indicating a fee the caller is to be charged, after the detected occurrence of the first pre-defined indication. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 providing a first voice prompt to the caller to accept the fee to continue the connection between the caller and the callee. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first voice prompt is not provided to the callee. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first pre-defined indication includes a message received in response to a user input in a graphical user interface. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the communication connection comprises a first connection and a second connection initiated through a Voice over Internet Protocol system. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first connection or the second connection is partially over a packet switched network and partially over a circuit switched network. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 assigning the communication reference to the callee for inclusion in the advertisement. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the communication reference comprises a telephonic contact of a server. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising resuming the charging of the caller for communication time over the communication connection in response to a request from the caller or the callee. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication connection is established via a web interface. 
     
     
       22. One or more non-transitory, processor-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by a server system to:
 establish, by a server system, a communication connection between a caller and a callee based at least in part on a Voice over Internet Protocol connection and via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the callee; 
 process identification information received by the server system to determine an attribute of the caller based at least in part on the identification information, the attribute of the caller based at least in part on an identity of the caller or an anonymity of the caller; 
 process by the server system an indication of a previously stored preference associated with the callee pertaining to charging callers and/or not charging callers; 
 based at least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, determine by the server system whether to initiate an authentication process to authenticate the caller by determining whether a first condition exists or a second condition exists, where: 
 upon determining existence of the first condition based at least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, the server system initiates the authentication process to authenticate the caller; 
 upon determining existence of the second condition based least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, the server system does not charge the caller for a first period of time; 
 bill, by the server system, the callee for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference; 
 monitor, by the server system, the communication connection between the caller and the callee to detect a first pre-defined indication provided by the caller; 
 charge, by the server system, the caller for communications with the callee over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the first pre-defined indication; 
 process, by the server system, a second pre-defined indication from a user device of the callee during the communication connection, wherein the second pre-defined indication corresponds to a user input made via a user interface of the callee; and 
 stop, by the server system, the charging of the caller for communication time over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the second pre-defined indication provided by the callee. 
 
     
     
       23. A data processing system, comprising:
 a server system comprising memory and one or more processors coupled with the memory to: 
 establish a communication connection between a caller and a callee based at least in part on a Voice over Internet Protocol connection and via a communication reference embedded in an advertisement that is presented on behalf of the callee; 
 process identification information received by the server system to determine an attribute of the caller based at least in part on the identification information, the attribute of the caller based at least in part on an identity of the caller or an anonymity of the caller; 
 process by the server system an indication of a previously stored preference associated with the callee pertaining to charging callers and/or not charging callers; 
 based at least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, determine by the server system whether to initiate an authentication process to authenticate the caller by determining whether a first condition exists or a second condition exists, where: 
 upon determining existence of the first condition based at least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, the server system initiates the authentication process to authenticate the caller; 
 upon determining existence of the second condition based least in part on i) the attribute of the caller and ii) the indication of the previously stored preference associated with the callee, the server system does not charge the caller for a first period of time; 
 bill the callee for the advertisement in response to the communication connection being established via the communication reference; 
 monitor the communication connection between the caller and the callee to detect a first pre-defined indication provided by the caller; 
 charge the caller for communications with the callee over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the first pre-defined indication; 
 process a second pre-defined indication from a user device of the callee during the communication connection, wherein the second pre-defined indication corresponds to a user input made via a user interface of the callee; and 
 stop the charging of the caller for communication time over the communication connection in response to a detected occurrence of the second pre-defined indication provided by the callee.